Mets depth chart: 2 players moving up, 2 moving down

It’s time to re-examine the New York Mets depth chart, hypothetically at least. There really isn’t all that much more shifting they can do in certain areas. Despite struggles from the corner outfielders and many of the starting pitchers, there aren’t too many simple solutions for the team right now.

Since we last checked in, there has been some movement. I’ve located two who are movin’ on up and another pair falling down.

Moving up the NY Mets depth chart: Francisco Alvarez

There is no doubt Francisco Alvarez is beginning to show us exactly why he has held the title of the best Mets prospect for a while now. His bat is waking up. His defense is more than acceptable. We all expect more growing pains from the kid, however, he certainly looks like he belongs already.

Alvarez began the season in the minors and only because the team knew they’d be without Omar Narvaez for a lengthy period of time was he able to crack the roster. He already leads all catchers on the roster in games played this season. He is quickly establishing himself as not just a platoon-mate but the everyday backstop for this ball club.

Alvarez has yet to capture the baseball world by storm and this might be one of those seasons where his numbers aren’t so impressive by the time we get to the end. What Alvarez has done is prove he should’ve been on the roster from the start. He has clearly worked hard at becoming a better defensive player. It has allowed him to shoot up the depth chart to be the number one catcher on this team even when this next guy falling down it comes back healthy and with some new glasses.

Moving down the NY Mets depth chart: Tomas Nido

When one catcher goes up, another must go down. The law of depth chart applies to the Mets with Francisco Alvarez becoming the top dog it must mean someone else has fallen. That guy is Tomas Nido.

Now on the IL, it’s hard to picture how Nido will be anything more than a once or twice a weak catcher who gets into the lineup to give the starter a rest. He hit .118/.148/.118 for them in 55 plate appearances without an extra-base hit in the bench.

Nido’s rise as a regular on the Mets roster came exclusively because of his defense and how much pitchers like Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom enjoyed working with him. Neither are here any longer. And while pitchers on the current ball club probably do like throwing to him, his absent bat makes him unplayable.

Maybe bad vision is what caused Nido to start this year so slowly. The Mets did just buy out his 2024 arbitration earlier this year, putting them on the hook for some cash they’ll owe him regardless of what happens. The big question with the catcher situation is what the team will do when everyone gets healthy. Narvaez’s return is approaching. What happens when Nido comes off the IL, too? The Mets don’t have enough flexibility with their other players to carry three catchers plus part-time DH Daniel Vogelbach.

Moving up the NY Mets depth chart: Jeff Brigham

Jeff Brigham isn’t going to win any reliever of the year award. He may, however, turn out to be one of the more important bullpen pieces the Mets added to the organization this winter. Acquired alongside Elieser Hernandez in a trade with the Miami Marlins, Brigham was the less-talked-about member of this deal. Now with Hernandez on the 60-day IL and Brigham pitching well, the narrative has changed.

In 11 appearances which ate up 12 innings for the Mets this year, Brigham has a 3.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts compared to 4 walks. He has served up a pair of home runs. In fact, the back-to-back appearances from him on April 26 and May 1 are the only times he has allowed anything at all. Brigham has been used regularly in losses this month. Then again, has there been much winning?

The great benefit of having Brigham on the roster is the Mets have a guy with MLB experience plus someone to join the revolving door back and forth between the minors. As unfortunate as it is in some ways, the business part of baseball could have Brigham regularly revisiting Syracuse regardless of how effective or not he is on the mound. The bonus with this is job security.